This invention relates to a method of activating safety devices (airbags, seat-belt tightening systems, roll bars, etc.) having a first impact sensor for supplying a motion signal which represents the motion of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of motion, having a second impact signal for supplying a motion signal representing the motion of the vehicle in the lateral direction and having a processing device by means of which the safety devices provided for an abnormal motion of the vehicle in the longitudinal or lateral directions are activated when the corresponding motion signals and/or signals derived from them exceed defined threshold values.
The term “first sensor” is also understood to refer to a sensor system comprising an actual motion sensor, e.g., an acceleration sensor and a safing sensor or the like for determining whether a relevant vehicle crash is occurring. The same thing is also true of the term “second sensor.”
With known methods, it may happen that a secondary side crash which is in fact occurring may not be recognized if there is a frontal crash. A frontal crash often exhibits great vibrations in the lateral direction of the vehicle. To prevent faulty deployment of the side airbags or the like, deployment of the side airbags is often blocked during a frontal crash.
The object of this invention is to create a method such that an actually occurring secondary side crash will result in deployment of the safety devices actually provided for this purpose while at the same time preventing faulty deployment.